Daily news summaries

Catch up with RBA's daily birdnews summaries. Browse ten days at a time, or choose a date to read summaries from that day backwards.

Daily summaries are available from 13 April 2006. For earlier weekly reviews, visit our articles.

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Monday 12th January 2015  
  Rarity sightings comprised Harlequin Duck and Spotted Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire), Pacific Diver (Cornwall), Gyr (Co Mayo), American Coot and Lesser Scaup (Co Kerry), Penduline Tits (Devon), Ferruginous Duck (Gloucestershire), Black Scoter (Co Kerry) and Eastern Black Redstart (Isles of Scilly).

The best of the rest included American Wigeon (Cornwall), Green-winged Teal (Dumfries & Galloway), Surf Scoter (Lothian) and two Yellow-browed Warblers (Devon).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 11th January 2015  
  The second Greater Yellowlegs for Hampshire was discovered at Titchfield Haven NNR mid morning, where it remained all day.

A Dark-breasted Barn Owl was reported from Cambridgeshire, whilst lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck in Aberdeenshire, Black Scoter and American Coot in County Kerry, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, three Penduline Tits in Devon, Laughing Gull in County Cork, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Sussex and County Dublin, Richardson's Cackling Goose in the Western Isles, single Ferruginous Ducks in Hampshire and Gloucestershire and Eastern Black Redstart in the Isles of Scilly.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 10th January 2015  
  Lingering rarities still present today included the Harlequin Duck in Aberdeenshire, Black Scoter in County Kerry, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, three Penduline Tits in Devon, Dusky Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs in Sussex (with another of the latter still in County Clare), Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Glamorgan and Ayrshire, King Eider in Fife, single Ferruginous Ducks in Hampshire and Gloucestershire and Eastern Black Redstart in the Isles of Scilly.

Scarcity highlights included a Richard's Pipit, a Waxwing, two Yellow-browed Warblers, four Shorelarks, three American Wigeon, four Green-winged Teals, five Surf Scoters, five Ring-necked Ducks, five Little Auks, six Pomarine Skuas, six Rough-legged Buzzards and seven Great Grey Shrikes. Gulls included a Kumlien's Gull, 14 Iceland Gulls, 29 Glaucous Gulls and eight Ring-billed Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 9th January 2015  
  The first Black Scoter for Ireland was identified today, present for its second day off Rossbeigh, County Kerry.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck in Aberdeenshire, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Dusky Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs in Sussex, three Penduline Tits and the Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire and Eastern Black Redstart in the Isles of Scilly.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 8th January 2015  
  Lingering rarities comprised Harlequin Duck (Aberdeenshire), Eastern Black Redstart (Isles of Scilly), Penduline Tits (Devon), Lesser Yellowlegs (East Sussex) and Ferruginous Duck (Hampshire).

The best of the rest included Night Heron (Co Cork), Glossy Ibis (Devon), Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon), two Richard's Pipits and  five Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 7th January 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Harlequin Duck in Aberdeenshire. Elsewhere, the Pacific Diver remained in Cornwall, as did three Penduline Tits in Devon, Dusky Warbler in West Sussex, Lesser Yellowlegs in East Sussex, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, and Lesser Scaups in both Ayrshire and Cornwall.

Scarcities included Richard's Pipit (Norfolk), Surf Scoter (Essex), American Wigeon (Devon), Black Brant (Kent), Shorelark (Lancashire), Lapland Bunting (Somerset), Waxwing (Lincolnshire), two each of Cattle Egret (Kent), Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon) and Green-winged Teal, three Ring-billed Gulls, four Ring-necked Ducks, five each of Great Grey Shrike and Glaucous Gull, eight Rough-legged Buzzards, nine Iceland Gulls, 10 Tundra Bean Geese and 13 Caspian Gulls.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 6th January 2015  
  Lingering rarities comprised the Harlequin Duck (Lothian), Blyth's Pipit (West Yorkshire), American Coot (Western Isles), Laughing Gull (Co Cork), Richardson's Cackling Goose (Argyll), Lesser Scaup (Ayrshire, Cornwall and Glamorgan), Dusky Warbler (West Sussex), Eastern Black Redstart (Isles of Scilly), Lesser Yellowlegs (East Sussex), three Penduline Tits (Devon), Pacific Diver (Cornwall) and Ferruginous Ducks (Hampshire and Gloucestershire).

The best of the rest included two Yellow-browed Warblers, two Cattle Egrets, two Glossy Ibises, two American Wigeons, two Richard's Pipits and three Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 5th January 2015  
  In Aberdeenshire the Harlequin Duck lingered on the River Don north of Aberdeen, whilst in West Sussex a Dusky Warbler was discovered at Chichester Gravel Pits and in Highland a Gyr flew over Ardclach. A Snowy Owl has been present in Co Donegal for approximately six weeks.

Elsewhere lingering rarities comprised Lesser Scaup (Cornwall and Glamorgan), Eastern Black Redstart (Isles of Scilly), King Eider (Fife), Blyth's Pipit (West Yorkshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Co Clare and East Sussex), Pacific Diver (Cornwall) and Ferruginous Duck (Gloucestershire).

The best of the rest included Night Heron (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (Northamptonshire), two Grey Phalaropes, two Glossy Ibises, two American Wigeons, two Waxwings, three Richard's Pipits, four Yellow-browed Warblers and four Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 4th January 2015  
  In Aberdeenshire a 1st-winter drake Harlequin Duck was present on the River Don for its second day.

Elsewhere lingering rarities comprised Blyth's Pipit (West Yorkshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (East Sussex and Lothian), Spotted Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire), Pacific Diver (Cornwall), Ferruginous Duck (Gloucestershire), Eastern Black Redstart (Isles of Scilly), White-billed Diver (Orkney), American Coot (Co Kerry), Ivory Gull (Highland), Bonaparte's Gull (Devon) and Lesser Scaup (Ayrshire, Cornwall and Glamorgan).

The best of the rest included Glossy Ibis (Devon), Night Heron and Lesser Snow Goose (Norfolk), American Wigeon (Cornwall), two Cattle Egrets, four Waxwings, five Yellow-browed Warblers, five Richard's Pipits and six Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 3rd January 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Gyr in Clyde. Initially at Dumbarton, it was later relocated briefly at West Ferry.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Blyth's Pipit still in West Yorkshire, Ivory Gull in Highland, American Coot in County Kerry and the Western Isles, Eastern Black Redstart on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, King Eider in Fife, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Clare, County Dublin and Lothian, Ferruginous Duck in Gloucestershire and Hampshire, and Lesser Scaup in Ayreshire, Cornwall and County Galway.

Scarcities included Glossy Ibis (Devon), Lapland Bunting (Lincolnshire), two Cattle Egrets (Kent), three each of Richard's Pipit and Yellow-browed Warbler, four of American Wigeon and Ring-necked Duck, five Waxwings, six Rough-legged Buzzards, seven Great Grey Shrikes, eight Ring-billed Gulls and 12 Shorelarks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA